normand



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. A., F. E. & M. E. NORMAND & P. SIGAUDY. FEED WATER DEvIcE EOE STEAMGENERATORS.

No. 593,115. Patented Nov. 2,1897.

2 Sheess-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. A., P. E. 8: M. E. NORMAND 8n P. SIGAUDY.

FEED WATER DEVICE FOR STEAM GENERATORS. N0. 593,115.

Patented Nov. 2, 1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Fries,

JACQUES AUGUSTIN NORMAND, FRANOOISE ELISABETH NORMAND, MARIE EMILIENORMAND, AND PIERRE SIGAUDY, OF HAVRE, FRANCE.

FEED-WATER DEVICE FOR STEAM-G EN ERATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,1 15, datedNovember 2, 1897.

Application filed September 12, 1896. Serial No. 6051661. (No model.)Patented in Belgium August 4, 1896, No. 122,862, in Englandhugust 5,1896,N0. 17,309 inAustria August 30,1896,No.3,347; in Denmark May22,189'7,1 lo.1,098,a11d in ltaly'geptember 23, 1897, No. 49.

To all whom it may concern: by a counterweight C, to which it isconnected Be it known that we, J ACQUES AUGUSTIN by the beam D. WVhenthe chamberAis filled NORMAND,FRANOOISE ELISABETH NORMAND, with water,the float B is in its highest posi- MARIE EMILIE NORMAND, and PIERRESIG- tion, as shown in the drawings; but when the AUDY, citizens ofFrance, and residents of said chamberAis empty the float B descends 55Havre, in the Department of the Seine-Infto its lowest position. Whenthe said chan1- rieure, France, have invented anew and useher A ispartially filled with water, the said ful Improvement in FeedaterDevices for float B takes up intermediate positions. Steam-Generators,(for which. We have ob- The slide-valve E is connected to the float IOtained Letters Patent in England, No.17,309, B and therefore is raisedand lowered with 60 dated August 5, 1896; in Austria, No. 3,347, thesaid float, altering, according to its posidated August 30,1896; inBe1gium,No.122,S62, tion, the section of feed-water inlet in the datedAuguste, 1896; in Denmark, No. 1,098, boiler. dated May 22, 1897, and inItaly, N0. 49, dated There is a central perforation 6 through the r 5September 23, 1897,) of which the following axis of the valve E, so thatpressure in the 65 is a specification, valve-casingbeneath the valve andin the When the amount of steam generated in a chamber A is the same.The feed-Water enboiler is considerable relatively to the evapters at Fand issues at G on its way to the oration-surface and when thefeed-water has boiler.

to be divided between a number of boilers, it The apparatus ispreferably placed above 70 is desirable to regulate the admission ofsuch the normal level in the boiler, to which it is feed-waterautomatically, and the apparatus fitted at such a height that thedischargefor this purpose should combine the followpipe H from thevessel A is inclined downing features, viz: First, the operation of theward gradually to its extremityl, which opens apparatus should be veryreliable, since when at or about the normal level of the Water in 75 anautomatic apparatus is employed the firethe boiler, and is horizontallynear the center men will not watch the water-gages so closely of theevaporationsurface of the water, which as they would do if suchapparatus were not center is independent of the motion of the provided.The apparatus should therefore vessel. The diameter of this pipe shouldbe be suificiently powerful to actuate the dislarge enough to afford apassage si'multane- 8o tributing-gearingwith certainty,and itshoulclously to the water that is discharged and to he in a position such as toenable the efficiency the steam that takes its place. Instead of a ofits operation to be tested at any time, and, single pipe there may betwo such pipes, one second, when used in connection with marine forwater, secured to the lower part of the boilers the apparatus should beas in dependvessel A, and the other for steam, this latter 8 5 cut aspossible of the changes oflevel of wapipe being of much smaller diameterthan ter in the boiler, owing to the motion of the that for water, andbeing secured to the upvessel. per part of the said vessel, the lowerorifices In the accompanving drawings, Figure l is of both pipes beingat the same height at or 40 a vertical section of the improvedapparatus. near the normal level of the water in the 90 Fig. 2isanothervertical section thereof,taken boiler. It will be assumed in thefollowing on the line X X. Fig. 3 is a plan of the appadescription thata single pipe is used. At the ratus with the cover removed. Fig. 4 is avertop the chamber A also communicates through tical section of theapparatus,taken on the line a very small orifice in the cock J with aspace Y Y; and Fig. 5 is a horizontalsection, taken or chamber whereinthe pressure is less than 9 5 on the line Z Z, of the part oftheapparatus that prevailing in the boiler-such, for examwherein thefeedmgulating cylindrical slideple, as a feed-water heater constructedupon valve E moves. Normands system-the intermediate receiv- Theapparatus consists of a chamber or ers between the cylinders, the coldwater reservoir A, in which is a float B, balanced cistern, or thecondenser, or even the atmos- IOO phere itself. The pressure within thechamber A therefore is always somewhat less than the pressure in theboiler, and a constant flow of water and steam is created between theboiler and the chamber A.

, The operation is as follows: If the waterlevel in the boiler risesabove the orifice I of the pipe II, the chamber A becomes filled withwater, owing to the partial vacuum produced by the escape of steam orwater through the small orifice in the cock J, (for which one to foursquare millimeters will be a sufficient sectional area.) The valve Erises and closes and only allows the feed-water to pass through a narroworifice K. As the water-level sinks in the boiler, owing to insufficientfeeding, it eventually uncovers the orifice I of the pipe l-I. The waterthen leaves the chamber A, the float B and valve E descend, and thepassage for the feed-water supply to the boiler is opened.

The water-level in the boiler around the orifice I of the pipe H ispreserved from inj urious fluctuation or disturbance, due to the risingof steam-bubbles or to the motion of the vessel, by means of a chamberor space L, closed on all sides and only communicating with the volumeof water contained in the boiler through the orifice M, situated at itslower part.

The apparatus is secured to the boiler by means of a cock N. The closingof the cooks N and J enables the apparatus to be isolated when required.

A rod P, connected to the connterpoiseweight G, serves to indicate themovement of the several movable parts and enables them to be operatedeither directly by hand or through the medium of a lever or the likewhenever it is required either to insure the proper operation of thoseparts or to increase the feed-water supply in an emergency. The rod Pshould be of small diameter, and its packing in the stuffing-box shouldofier only such a minimum resistance to motion as is absolutelynecessary to insure tightness. The said rod P may be dispensed withwhere it is found to involve too great a sacrifice of the sensitivenessof the apparatus, or the effect of the friction between the rod P andits stufting-box may be counteracted by increasing the weight of thecounterpoise G and reducing the length of the arm of the beam or leverD, from which it is suspended.

The apparatus will act in a satisfactory manner with somewhatconsiderable variation in the level or height of the orifice I of thepipe H in relation to the normal waterlevel in the boiler; but herein isgiven what we consider the most favorable conditions and those underwhich the apparatus will give the best results if applied to eachconstituent boiler of a battery of boilers, all fed from one and thesame feed-water supply. It is well known that in a battery of this classthe feedwater is the more evenly divided the narrower the sectional areaof the orifice through which such water is discharged into the boiler,for there is such an increase of pressure between the feed-pipes and theboilers that the discharge takes place almost uniformly in all, whatevermay be the slight differences of pressure between the different boilersand the want of symmetry between the connections of the several boilerswith the feed-water collectingpipe. The production of steam in all theboilers, however, is not the same, and the possible want of symmetry ofthe steamvalves in relation to the steam-collecting pipe considerablyincreases the difference of production. The object of the feed-regulatoris to remedy this cause of instability of the Water-levels.

Supposing now that the orifices ,I of the pipes H in the several boilersof the battery are arranged uniformlysomewhat beneath the normallevel,generally the feed-regulators are filled with water, theslide-valves are closed, and the boilers are fed solely through asupplyorifice of a very small sectional area. There is therefore agreater or lesser excess of pressure, say, from one to threeatmospheres, between the feed-water supply and the boilers, and thereare theconditions above referred to upon which depends as uniform adivision of the feed-water as possible between the several boilers ofthe battery. When the water-level in any one of the boilers descendsbelow the orifice I of the pipe H, the feedwater regulator of suchboiler is evacuated, the float in descending opens the slide-valve, thedischarge-port of which becomes four, five, or six times larger, forexample, than it was when the slide-valve was closed, and accordinglythe amount of water fed to that boiler becomes four, five, or six timesgreater than in the other boilers. The water-level rises the morerapidly the greater this proportion of ratio, and the moment it attainsthe orifice I of the pipe H the chamber of the apparatus is filled withwater and the slidevalve closed. Now assuming, on the other hand, thatthe orifice I of the said pipe H is situated somewhat above the normallevel of the boilers, the feed-regulators are then generally empty, andthe difference of pressure between the feed-water supply and the boilerswill therefore be very slight, which is a rather unfavorable condition,as before stated,

'for the equal division of the feed-water among the several boilers ofthe battery. The level may sink rapidly in a boiler without causing anychange to take place in the feed-water supply, since the feed-regulatoronly acts when the water-level rises, while previously its operation wasbrought about by the descent of the water-level. Now it will beunderstood that it is far more desirable that the feed-regulator shouldresist or counteract an abnormal lowering of the water-level than anabnormal rising of the same. When the level rises in any one boiler ofthe battery above the orifice I of the pipe H, the feed-regulatorbecomes filled, the cylindrical slide valve closes, owing to the risingof the float, and

the amount of feed-water admitted to that boiler is in consequenceconsiderably reduced in comparison to'what it is in the remainingboilers of the battery. Again, if the orifice I of the pipe H be at thesame height as the normal level, the inconveniences attaching to thearrangement previously described are to a great extent remedied,although the conditions are still less favorable than they were in thearrangement first described-that is to say,-the arrangement wherein theorifice referred to is situated somewhat below the normal level. I

In short,if stability of level be taken to mean the greater or lessrapidity with which such level is restored to its normal height when ithappens to be lowered, such stability will be far greater when theorifice I of the pipe H is situated a little distance below the normallevel than when it is arranged above that level.

In view of the foregoing statements it will be readily understood thatthe feed-regulator, according to this invention, complies with theconditions laid down as being those upon which the proper operation ofall feed-regulators depends. It is sufiiciently powerful to properly setthe distributing or valve gearing in. operation, inasmuch as it acts invirtue of the total weight of the water displaced by the fioat,whereasin the majority of existing feedwater regulators a fraction only of thevolume of the float becomes the determining cause of the motion and aconsiderable change of level is necessary to produce an appreciableamount of power. In the apparatus accordin to this invention, however,the slightest change of level is sufficient to set in operation or giveeffect to the maximum power as applied to the operation of the distributin ggearing.

Theimproved apparatus may at any time be disconnected from the boilerand tested. The orifice I of the pipe H being situated in the vicinityof the center of the evaporatingsurface, the level of the water in thatportion of the apparatus is independent of any of the movements of thevessel on which the feed regulator'is employed. Besides, this apparatusenables a feed-pump common to a number of boilers to be employed, acircumstance which affords very material advantages, admitting, as itdoes, of the mechanism being greatly simplified and of a considerableamount of fuel being saved.

The feed-regulator will also operate satisfactorily if placed below thewater-level. In this case the escape-cock should be placed in the lowerpart of the reservoir and the water discharged, substituted by steam orwater, as the case may be, all of which takes place under the sameconditions as before.

There are already a number of arrangements in existence which causefeed-water to be supplied to boilers by means of a pipe similar to thepipe H, opening in the vicinity of the normal water-level of the boiler,but in all these the motor fluid,whether water or steam, acts upon aspecial feeding device, whereas in the apparatus forming the subject ofthis invention the motor fluid, Whether water or steam, merely modifiesthe sectional area of the feed-water-supply orifice in each constituentboiler of a series or battery, such feed-water being supplied from aperfectly independent feeder.

It will be understood that the proportions, dimensions, and accessorydevices may vary according to requirements without departing from theprinciple of the invention.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declarethat what we claim is- 1. A feed-water regulator consisting of anexterior float-chamber having a small outlet at the top, a pipecommunicating with the lower part of said float-chamber and inclinedfrom the latter to the discharge end which is within the boiler and at,or near, the normal water-level, a valve-chamber communicating with. thefloat-chamber and boiler, a valve arranged in said valve-chamber andprovided with a small passage to equalize the pressure beneath the valveand in the float-chamber, a feed-water pipe communicating with theboiler through said valve-chamber, a float arranged in the float-chamberand connected to the valve-stem, and a counterbalance for said float,substantially as described.

2. In a feedwater regulator, the combination with a boiler of anexterior float-chamber having a small outlet-cock at top to dischargeinto a space having a less pressure than that in the chamber, avalve-chamber entering the lower part of the float-chamber, a feed-waterpipe communicating with said valve-chamber and with the boiler, a valvein said valve-chamber having a small channel to equalize the pressurebeneath the valve and in said float-chamber, a counterbalanced float insaid float-chamber connected to the valve-stem, and a pipe communicatingwith the float-chamber and with the interior of the boiler, its lowerend being at or near the normal waterlevel, substantially as described.

3. In a feed-water regulator, the combination with a boiler of anexterior float-chamber having a small outlet at top, a valvechambercommunicating with the lower part of said chamber, a feed-water pipecommunieating with the boiler through the valve-chamber, a pipecommunicating with the floatchamber and having its discharge end at ornear the normal water-level and within a space inclosed upon all sidesexcept a con tracted orifice at the bottom, a valve in the valve-chamberto regulate the area of the feed-water inlet to the boiler, said valvehaving a small channel for the passage of water,

or steam, a float in the float-chamber conspecification in the presenceof two subscrib- 1o nected to the stem of said valve, and a couningwitnesses.

terbalancing-weight for said float having 2t JACQUES. AUGUSTIN NORMAND.rod which is packed through the lower wall FRANCOISE ELISABETH NORMAND.of the chamber and provided upon its eX MARIE EMILIE NORMAND.

terior end with means for operating the float PIERRE SIGAUDY.

and its connected valve manually, substanitnesses:

tially as described. A. DIGVET,

In testimony whereof we have signed this GEORGES CHEVALIER.

